Quirky MacBook Case Awaits Go-Ahead

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Suffering withdrawal pangs from the lack of new Apple products
lately? Make your own.

MacBook owners may soon be able to buy a removable case that
holds their USB
devices . It's a new product concept nearing a final decision
on Quirky, a crowdsourcing website for ambitious (and
tough-skinned) inventors.

The development phase is down to the last two days for inventor
Sean Stewart, who began the Quirky process about four months ago.
With the help of Quirky's vocal online community and the Quirky
review team, Stewart's MacBook Case is almost ready for final
approval. His investment? Not much more than the $10 submission
fee.

Quirky allows just about anyone to submit a product idea, which
is then evaluated by members of the Quirky community. Members can
vote for a product, but they can also submit design changes,
suggest names and help set pricing. The idea is to get input from
a wide range of potential customers — a virtual focus group and
market test rolled into one. Those who participate in a product's
development will share in its future profits.

It takes little more than a sketch or handmade mock-up to get
started.

But the savings an inventor might gain launching on Quirky as
opposed to crowdsourced funding site Kickstarter
are offset by having to meet the community's demands for
changes.

Stewart has received input from 1,365 Quirky members. Through a
survey, he knows that the most popular cover size he could make
would be one to fit a 15-inch MacBook
Pro . His cover should also hold a laptop charger since 42
percent carry one at all times. While more than 80 percent of
respondents said they'd like the cover to be removable, just
slightly more people wanted the case to stay on during use rather
than be taken off. The final design details and whether Stewart's
project gets the green light will be in the hands of the Quirky
team.

Most ideas never make it past the early stages, but a few do.
Quirky sells the products on its site and through several
partners. The company shares 30 percent of the revenue with those
who participated in shaping the product, including the inventor,
who receives 42 percent of the participant pool of funds.